Appendix H

Sources of Federal Technology Funds

U.S. Department of Education

• National Challenge Grants for Technology in Education
  Awards grants to consortia including at least one local education agency with a high percentage of children living below the poverty line and may include other local education agencies. Promotes the integration of the acquired technologies into the curriculum.
  Approximately $27 million was appropriated in FY '95. (202) 708-6001
  
• Star Schools Program
  Supports telecommunications partnerships to provide telecommunications equipment and programming to undeserved students. More than 50,000 teachers have participated in staff development and community awareness activities produced via satellite, compressed video technology, fiber optics, video disc, and micro -computer based networks.
  Approximately $25 million was available in FY '95. (202) 219-2186
  
• Public Library Construction and Technology Enhancement (State Program)
  Provides grants to States for facilities and technology enhancements to improve the provision of public library services. States may approve local projects for construction, remodeling, or alteration of existing buildings. States have combined funds provided for the Public Library Services Program and the Interlibrary Cooperation and Resource Sharing Program to support the purchase of equipment and network connections.
  (202) 219-1303
  
• Technology , Educational Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities
  Funds projects and centers for advancing the use of new technology, media, and materials in the education of children and youth who are disabled.
  (202) 205-8193
  
• Small Business Innovation Research Program
  Seeks to help meet federal R&D needs and to stimulate technological innovation in small business, while requiring private sector commercialization of developed products. The program has focused on the development of products which use computers and other high tech equipment for teaching.
  
• During the FY 1993 the U.S. Department Of Education awarded $3.5 million in FY '95, received 163 proposals and awarded 45 of them. (202) 219-2065

Additional Funding Sources for Software and Hardware

• Title I, ESEA
  Funds almost one-third of all software and hardware used primarily for basic skills instruction.
  
• Chapter 2, ESEA
  In FY '94 approximately $125 million of Chapter 2 funds were spent on software and hardware purchases. A total of $347 million has been appropriated for FY '95.
  
• School-to-Work
  Grants for the implementation of School-to-Work programs integrating academic and vocational learning with work-based learning.
  In FY '95 $125 million was appropriated by both Departments of Education and Labor.
  
• Goals 2000
  Provides a planning grant to each state to integrate technology into overall state education plans.
  $403 million was appropriated in "FY 95
  .
• Eisenhower Professional Development
  The majority of these funds are intended to support sustained professional development programs for teachers in the core subject areas. LEAs may use Eisenhower funds to purchase computers and other telecommunication equipment as outlined in the LEA's overall professional development plan.
  
• Event Start
  Provided pre-K - 1 schools with $102 million in FY '95.

National Science Foundation

• Applications of Advanced Technologies Program
  Provides grants to examine the strengths and weakness of new, innovative applications of advanced technologies for teaching and learning of science and mathematics.
  Deadline for applications is January 15 and September 15 of every year.
  
• The Networking Infrastructure for Education Program (NIEP)
  Grants to academic institutions, school districts, professional societies, state agencies, and others concerned with education reform to complete policy studies and research, development and demonstration projects related to the role of electronic networks in support of education reform.
  FY '96 focus is on evaluation of the impact of technology , dissemination of outcomes, and electronic library prototypes. (703) 306-1651, (202) 306-1130
  
• Teacher Enhancement Program
  Seeks to improve interdisciplinary and pedagogical knowledge of teachers, administrators, and others who play roles in providing mathematics, science, and technology education for pre-k to grade 12 students.
  (703) 306-1620

The Department of Energy, (DOE)

The DOE's 10 national laboratories and 30 specialized technology centers and research facilities provide educational experiences for students, training, and curriculum materials for pre-service and in service teachers. DOE also supports statewide initiatives to reform math, science, and technology education in 13 states.

DOE's technology offerings range from equipment loan and donation programs to long term studies on the effectiveness of specific educational technologies for classroom instruction.

• Small Business Innovation Research Program
  Seeks to increase private sector commercialization of technology developed through DOE supported R&D in any scientific or engineering activity that is directed toward applying new knowledge to meet a recognized need; and/or a systemic application of knowledge toward the production of materials, devices, and systems or methods.

Awards approximately 200 grants to small businesses. (301) 903-5867

The Department of Commerce

• The Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Application Program (TIIAP)
  Awards matching grants to state and local governments and nonprofits for the planning and construction of telecommunications networks for the provision of educational, cultural, health care, public information, public safety and other social services.
  Approximately $60 million was available for the program in FY '95. (202) 482-5802
  
• The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP)
  Awards matching grants to non-commercial entities to purchase telecommunications equipment with the stipulation that the equipment be used for educational or cultural purposes.
  In FY '95 approximately $29 million was available. (202) 482-5802
  

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Small Business Innovation Program (SBIR) seeks to develop innovative technologies by providing competitive research contracts to US owned small business to develop leading-edge technologies.

In FY '95 $124 million was available. (301) 918-8150

U.S. Department of Defense-Advanced Research Projects Agency

• Defense Technology Conversion, Reinvestment and Transition Assistance -The Technology Reinvestment Program (TRP)
  TRP is a six agency technology investment effort that includes the Department of Defense, Commerce, Energy, and Transportation, the National Science Foundation, and NASA. The program requires partnerships and focuses on cost sharing between the partnerships, assisting small businesses and defense -dependent businesses; TRP seeks to develop dual use technologies.

1-800-DUAL-USE

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• The Agricultural Telecommunications Program
  Provides funding for the use of telecommunications in rural and urban areas.
  
  (202) 720-6084
• The Rural Utilities Service Telecommunications Loan Program
  RUS financing is used by rural telecommunications providers to build new and modernize existing telecommunications networks, connect new subscribers in unserved areas, and provide the transmission and switching facilities necessary for economic development, distance learning, and telemedicine applications, and Internet access.
  (202) 720-1007
  
• Rural Utilities service Distance Learning Grant Program
  RUS' Distance Learning grant program provides grants directly to rural schools, libraries, and other educational institutions for the development of telecommunications systems.
  (202) 720-1007

The National Endowment for the Humanities

For all NEH programs listed here, for more information contact the Division of Research and Education at (202) 606-8380, education@neh.fed.us, research@neh.fed.us, http://www.neh.fed.us

• Development and Demonstration
  Development and Demonstration funds projects related to software development and field testing.
  There is approximately $1 million available through this program.
  
• Humanities Focus Grants
  These grants are small awards, up to $25,000, which go to specific projects in the humanities, including the use of technology. Deadlines for application are January 15th and September 15th of each year.
  
• Teaching with Technology
  This program funds three types of projects: materials development, field testing and classroom applications, and teacher preparation for integrating technology into the classroom.
  
• National Summer Institutes and Seminars
  Seminars are small groups of teachers who want to receive teacher training from a scholar in their field of interest. Institutes are groups of 25 teachers who study work with a faculty of scholars to explore in depth materials related to the subjects they teach.
  Deadlines are March 1st, 1997 and March 1st, 1998 for the following summers. (202) 606-8463
  
• Challenge Grants
  The challenge grant program helps academic institutions and cultural organizations to secure long term support for, and improvements in their programs, activities and resources related to the humanities, including the use and applications of technology.
  The federal portions of the grants have ranged from $25,000 to $1 million. Application deadline is May 1, 1996. (202) 606-8309
  

Other Funding Guide Sources

• The USDLA Funding Source Book for Distance Learning and Educational Technology
  The USDLA Funding Source Book is a reference publication complete with electronic and print references of funding sources for technology. It is available for $42.50 plus $4.00 shipping. To order contact Kendall Publishing at 1-800-228-0810.
  
• Directory of Building and Equipment Grants
  This directory lists funding sources for equipment, building and renovation and innovative procedures to secure funding for computers and free computer software. The cost is $57.50 +$6.00 shipping and handling. (407) 795-6129.
  
• Federal Register
  This daily publication contains notices of new grants from federal agencies, grant application guidelines, and regulations and requirements for federal grant programs. To order contact: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, PO Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. (202) 512-1800.
  

Final Note:

This guide is by no means complete it provides only some of the resources available throughout the Federal government for educational technology.

Prevoius | Table of Contents | Next